Aviation Unions To Shut Down Airports May 20th

THREE aviation unions – Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) – yesterday served a notice to shut the Nigerian airspace beginning from May 20.

The unions said their planned action is to protest the failure of the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to address issues bordering on new salary scale.

Their threat came ahead of the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum issued to NAMA on the vexed issue, which expires next Monday.

A bulletin jointly issued by the unions to the workers, advised them to immediately embark on strike until all issues raised with the NAMA are resolved.

The bulletin was signed by Olayinka Abioye (ATSSSAN), Aba Ocheme (NAAPE) and Odinika Igbokwe (NUATE).

The union leaders also expressed bitterness over NAMA’s failure to invite them for dialogue since the ultimatum was issued. They also raised concerns over the non-payment of 13-month areas that have accrued on the new salary scale.

On May 6, the unions wrote a letter to NAMA’s Managing Director, Nnamdi Udoh, to immediately resolve all issues raised by the workers.

He was given a 14-day ultimatum to act, failing which they threatened to embark on strike.

Two months ago, aviation unions threatened a one-day warning strike.

NAMA failed to implement the approved salary structure for its personnel.

The agency said it would implement the new condition of service.

NAMA attributed the delay to some critical omissions in the document approved by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission.

Addressing  members of the union at the Freedom Square, Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, NUATE’s National President Safianu Mohammed said the strike  was imminent.